


Keeping Vigil

by Jacqueline_64



Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Angst, Episode Related, Episode: s04e22 Sweet Revenge, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 21:24:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20495570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacqueline_64/pseuds/Jacqueline_64
Summary: Questions and doubts haunt Hutch after Starsky's cardiac arrest in 'Sweet Revenge'.





	Keeping Vigil

The most used disclaimer:  
The TV show "Starsky and Hutch", and the characters from it  
are the property of the persons who hold the copyrights  
and other legal rights to them.  
This story is a work of fiction, written for pleasure only  
and not for profit. It is not intended, in any way,  
to infringe on these preexisting copyrights.

# KEEPING VIGIL

#### An Unedited Short Sweet Revenge Story

By Jacqueline © August 17, 2003

_What the hell happened, Starsk? What the hell happened? Where did they come from? Who the hell were they for that matter?  
_The worn, troubled figure sitting next to the hospital bed in his oddly crisp and clean, blinding white jacket, found his thoughts tumbling around in his head.

In the bed lay the still form of his severely injured partner. Skin tone white, with the eerie blue tinge of death hovering nearby. Lifeless chest moving up and down in the unnatural steady rhythm of the machine that was breathing for him. The sound of that rhythm was calculated, sterile and most of all mechanic.

Other machinery was hard at work as well, proving their activity with other mechanic and unnatural sounds like beeps, whizzes and hums. Lights flickering, lines pulsating, machines beeping ------

_Where are you, Starsk? Are you even in there?_ He looked at the form in the bed.   
So unnaturally still, no movement other than that mechanical heaving of the chest.  
Gone was the spring and bounce, gone was the tan, gone was that overly enthusiastic loud and cocky voice ----

_Whoever did this to you --- I'll get them -- I'll get them and I'll ---- Them ---- I don't even have the slightest clue who the hell is behind this ---_

He sighed a helpless sigh.

_Who, Starsk? Who'd want you dead? Or us? I don't know --- who of all the scum we've arrested over the years wouldn't? We sure had our share of the Prudholms, mad scientists, Forrests, Lockleys and all the countless other perps, pushers and pimps who'd rather see us going than coming --- but this? Just this much short of using a canon ----- Who's behind Jenny Brown? --- What's it all connected to? Maybe ----_

"Starsk, maybe the guy who -----" he stopped mid sentence.  
_Not even two full days yet and I'm already talking to myself ---- No, I'm talking to you! Wake up, dammit ----- they operated on you, you survived the anesthetics, you survived the surgery, you survived the cardiac, now wake up!_

"Wake up, Starsk. I have to talk to you."   
His voice sounded hollow. The human sound seemed unnatural amongst all the beeping and humming of the life support system.

_This is not the way it's supposed to end ---- It can't --- It must not end like this --- Starsk, Goddammit -- don't let it end like this!_

More thoughts tumbled through his mind. Other hairy situations they had lived through. **Lived** through. **Survived**. Bullet wounds, illnesses, poisonings. Deaths of loved ones -----  
_Terry -----_  
He remembered her note to him. Following her strict instructions he'd read the note two weeks after her passing. ' --- to you I entrust Ollie and Dave. Please love them both and don't let either one of them change ----'.  
_God Terry! I tried --- I tried and failed. I think I changed more than he did, but he changed, too. Is that why this happened? Didn't I love enough -----? Are you calling him to be with you because I let him down? Because I failed to protect him and now he's ----- dying ------- His heart stopped twice already --- are you going to call him to you, again?_

He woke from his reverie to find himself looking up at the ceiling, as if Terry's sweet face would materialize before him there and answer his anxious questions.

"Hutch --. Why don't you go home, get some sleep. Wash up -- change. You can't go on like this."

His captain stood in the room. He hadn't even noticed the large man entering.  
He chuckled sadly. Dobey had been at the hospital as long as he had.

"How 'bout you, Captain?"

"I'm going home, too --- They told me he's stable now. Come on, Hutch. We're not going to do anyone any good if we go on running on empty. Least of all Dave. Come on --- let's go."

"I, I --- I can't leave him, Cap --- what if ---- I can't --- he shouldn't be alone ---"

"He won't be."

A new voice startled the two men. It was Huggy.  
"You go home and rest up --- I'll stay here with him--- go on."

"But --"

"Look, if you wanna get the guys who did this to him you'd better be in the best shape possible. Go home, Hutch --- Come back later. I'll stay right here with him."

A shrug of tired shoulders. A look in two pairs of compassionate, understanding brown eyes.  
"Thanks, Hug. Captain ----."

"I believe you still have my keys, Hutchinson --- I'll drop you off, go get the car. I'm right behind you."

The blond followed his Captain's orders and left with a tired gait. The large dark man turned to the lean figure who sat down in the chair beside the bed.  
"Thank you, Huggy."

The men exchanged warm, but worried smiles and then Huggy was left alone with his slain friend, surrounded by the steady beeping, whizzing and humming of the machines.

Keeping vigil.


End file.
